Most people have a snack at some point during the day. According to research done in 2015 by Mintel, a market research firm, 94% of Americans snack daily. While that percentage might sound high, if you define a snack as any food eaten outside of breakfast, lunch or dinner, it’s pretty easy to remember the last time you ate one.
Conventional diet wisdom says that to lose or maintain weight, snacking frequently throughout the day is a must. Though there is some science to support this idea, there’s just as much to show it’s unnecessary and could have a negative effect on weight. Even dietitians are somewhat split on the issue.
Like many aspects of nutrition, there’s no clear-cut answer as to whether snacking is good or bad, but there are some factors that can help you decide whether it will be useful in reaching your goals.
THE CASE FOR SNACKING
You’ve probably heard it’s a good idea to have 1–3 snacks per day between meals, and the reasoning makes a lot of sense. “When there’s a large timespan between meals, your blood sugar drops, which can make you feel tired, irritable and even give you a headache,” explains explains Anne Danahy, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based RDN. Some people even take the approach of eating 5–6 small meals per day to help keep themselves balanced.
“Eating smaller, frequent meals can be especially helpful for someone who has reactive hypoglycemia or diabetes because of the blood sugar-stabilizing effect,” Danahy says. Research has shown that, in particular, high-protein, low-carb and high-fiber snacks are best at achieving this goal. There’s also evidence that snacking can help with weight loss, particularly in those with blood sugar issues. One study showed high-protein snacks helped Type 2 diabetes patients achieve fat loss.
Snacking can also be a helpful approach for those who have trouble with portion control, Danahy points out. “Preventing oneself from becoming overly hungry can benefit someone who struggles with mindful eating, because it’s far more difficult to eat mindfully when you’re ‘hangry’ and your blood sugar is crashing,” she explains.
WHY SNACKING ISN’T ALWAYS NECESSARY
While snacking may help some people achieve a healthier eating style, it’s definitely not a requirement. “There is a misconception in the diet world that you have to eat six small meals per day in order to lose weight,” says Gillean Barkyoumb, MS, RD, the founder of Millennial Nutrition. “The science behind this theory is not strongly supported. Studies show inconsistent results.”
